After he charged at police with a 6-inch kitchen knife, a former Afghan translator was shot and killed. He suffered from PTSD during his time with the US Special Forces.
Ajmal Ajmal, 41, is seen running towards officers after being shot four times in his stomach. Then, he slumps down to the floor in the narrow corridor in the residential hotel. This was just a few minutes before he moved into a San Francisco city-rented apartment.
Amani, who had served five years with the Navy SEALs of his home country in Afghanistan, had been shot multiple times and suffered from PTSD. His former lawyer and case manager said that he was also a victim to PTSD.
The interpreter, who came to the US on a visa in 2014, had been ordered to complete mental health treatment after prior criminal charges, including assault with a deadly weapon in 2019 for allegedly slashing a city park ranger with a box cutter.
After reports that an unidentified man had been screaming, yelling, and carrying a knife at the hotel’s entrance on Friday morning (Police were also called). Amani’s manager called 911 after a colleague reported that Amani had ‘a very bad episode’.
The horrifying footage of Ajmal Amani (41), running towards officers after he was shot in the leg and stomach at the hotel in San Francisco shows Ajmal amani being run at police.
Amani had been shot several times during his five years of service with the US Army in his homeland and had suffered from PTSD as a result, according to his former lawyer and case manager (pictured: an undated photo showing Amani standing in front of a US military vehicle)
Amani, after being shot in the corridor lying down, is captured on horrifying footage
The police released footage and surveillance videos from hotel rooms on Wednesday.
These pictures show Amani holding and gesturing using the knife. He is confronted by two people including someone with a broom. Then he moves past people to enter a room.
The man in the broom tells the officers that Amani has threatened to kill him when he arrives.
A radio dispatcher is told by an officer that Amani’s screams can be heard.
According to video from body cameras, officers are seen remaining in corridors and trying to communicate with Amani who is in another room.
Amani swears to them and asks for their forgiveness. One officer responds, “Nobody will hurt you.”
Amani is seen charging down the corridor less than five minutes later and being shot by an officer who shouted: “Stay here!” Keep there!
Amani, according to police was carrying a knife measuring 6 inches in length.
The four-time shot was with a handgun, and the three bean-bag projectiles.
Amani, who was moving slowly, lay still on the ground. Several officers arrived.
The two of them waited for several minutes before approaching him. They then placed CPR on him and put a tourniquet around his neck.
Police Chief Bill Scott, who was speaking at the virtual town hall where the video was made public, said that both his department as well as prosecutors are investigating the shooting.
Scott claimed that he offered his condolences personally to Amani and his family.
He said that his officers received training on how to de-escalate volatile situations, keep their distance, and take time to avoid using force.
He stated that there are times when that leads to excellent outcomes and other occasions where the situation demands that we take additional measures.
Scott Grant was Amani’s deputy public defender and said that he was devastated by the death.
Grant claimed that Amani experienced ‘irreplaceable trauma’ during his service with US special forces.
Grant said that Grant had suffered the worst trauma anyone can go through.
Amani is seen running towards cops at the Covered Wagon Hotel, 917 Folsom ST., which is a South of Market hotel.
Amani lying on his stomach after he was gunned down by officers Friday
In November 2019, Amani was arrested after crashing a car near Seventh Street off-ramp of Highway 80 in San Francisco.
Grant stated that he was charged with using a boxcutter in order to cut a city park ranger. Grant also claimed that he tried to rescue him from the rubble.
Grant stated that Amani was experiencing a “clear episode of mental illness.”
The incident resulted in the interpreter being charged, along with other charges.
However, the judge dismissed Amani’s attempted murder charge in his early stages. The remaining assault charges were also dropped when Amani received a “mental health diversion” order in August.
Grant said to The Standard, ‘The extent of his work and the transformations he could achieve was unparalleled.’ He was an inspiration for all that he did.
Amani lived at the Hotel where he was murdered on Friday, after having completed the mental health treatment.
Grant said that Grant’s tragic death was an example of how government systems failed to support someone who put his life on the line to serve this country.
Tony Montoya is the president of San Francisco Police Officers and said that his union provided support for the officers.
Montoya stated, “This is an unfortunate incident.” You must also consider the injuries sustained by those involved.